Freebie Update: Exiled

Ok, a quick note that Exiled is currently free again on Kindle. (just click the title)
Also. I won't be able to update for the next 2-3 weeks due to exams and assessments :(
I've been studying my non-existent heart out. really... I try so hard...

Accidentally Married to... a Vampire by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff

Ok, Because I am completely lazy, this is a post that was sent to me from CBLS Tours to help promote Mimi Jean Pamiloff's new book as well as raise awareness about Breast Cancer Awareness. And stuff like that. It sounded like an entertaining paranormal romance... so here we are now. I assume, by the man staring intently into my eyes,  looking extremely muscular and wearing pretty much nothing, from the cover (bwahahahha) that this isn't exactly a completely innocent book. So. continue at your own risk. You have been warned.
If you do decide to push through and read thus post you'll find that I do take stuff out and add bits in. This is of course, in this super pretty colour :) Oh! There's also a giveaway at the end so yeah.

Mimi Jean Pamfiloff's ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO...A VAMPIRE, Book 2 in her popular "Accidentally Yours Series", recently hit #34 on the NYTimes Best Seller List (Fiction eBooks)!! "VAMPIRE" has also earned a well-deserved spot on both the Amazon and USA Today Top/Best Seller lists! To celebrate, Mimi Jean is giving away an eBook copy of not only ACCIDENTALLY MARRIED TO...A VAMPIRE, but ACCIDENTALLY IN LOVE WITH...A GOD, Book 1 in the "Accidentally Yours Series", as well, to 20--yes, you read that right, 20--lucky winners!

Accidentally in Love With...a God? (Book 1, Accidentally Yours) Contemporary Paranormal Romance by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff "4.5 out of 5 Stars for Accidentally in Love With...a God? (Amazon)!"

Blurb: Twenty-two-year-old Emma Keane has a secret friend. He’s powerful, mysterious, and devastatingly handsome. In her dreams, anyway. In real life, he’s an enigma. Maybe just a teensie jealous. Definitely overbearing. He’s also a voice only she can hear. So who or what is he? He won’t say. But if she wants to be free, to be normal, Emma will have to trek to the jungles once ruled by the Mayans and find the forgotten ruin holding the answers. However, the ruthless deity she’s about to unknowingly unleash on the modern world might not be so easily extracted from her life. Bottom line, he’s got enemies, and now, so does she.

I skipped the excerpts because blogger is being a bum, and removing any paragraphs I have entered/ were entered... and going through and clicking enter 50 times isn't my cup of tea. 

Available for $0.99 at: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords

Accidentally Married to...a Vampire? (Book 2, Accidentally Yours) Contemporary Paranormal Romance by Mimi Jean Pamfiloff "4.5 out of 5 Stars for Accidentally Married to...a Vampire? (Amazon)!"

Blurb:
"If you love her, set her free. If she comes back, she’s yours. If she doesn’t...Christ! Stubborn woman! Hunt her down, and bring her the hell back; she’s still yours according to vampire law.”--Niccolo DiConti, General of the Vampire Queen’s Army.

The Determined Vampire: Niccolo DiConti has faithfully served as leader of Her Majesty’s army for over a millennium, but he’d rather sunbathe in the Sahara than spend another grueling day under his demented queen’s command. However, no one has ever left her side and lived to tell. So when a powerful goddess prophesizes he will meet his salvation—a human woman he must turn into a vampire with her consent—he eagerly rises to the challenge. After all, how hard could it be to seduce a human female into taking the immortal plunge? Harder than he thinks. Because his mate won’t be born for another three centuries, and when he wakes up in the goddess’ tomb, not only is his life a mess, but his destined female isn’t about to settle for a coldhearted vampire. Can he win her over before it’s too late? Not if his enemies have anything to do with it.

An Unwilling Bride: On the night Helena Strauss meets the fierce, devastatingly handsome vampire who saves her life in the jungles of Mexico, she knows her world will be forever changed. Because an attraction this mind blowing only comes along once in a lifetime—or existence. And when he claims she is his one true mate, destined to be his for all eternity, it’s a fairytale come true. So what if her knight in shining armor is a vampire? Nobody’s perfect. But discovering the powerful, overbearing immortal doesn’t “do love”? Deal breaker. Helena will flee and set out to accomplish the impossible…sever the otherworldly bond between them. And it turns out, Helena is just the leverage Niccolo’s enemies need to break the mighty warrior and wipe out his people.


Available for $0.99 at: Amazon | B&N | Smashwords One hundred percent (100%) of all proceeds derived from the sale of Accidentally Married to a...Vampire from Amazon and B&N on Sunday, May 6, will be donated to The Breast Cancer Foundation.
(GASP! this is where the Breast Cancer Awareness thing comes in!)

I also skipped the final book... I'm sorry. It didn't come up properly. But it's not out yet, so I guess that helps :)


About the Author:
Before taking up a permanent residence in the San Francisco Bay Area, Mimi spent time living near NYC (became a shopaholic), in Mexico City (developed a taste for very spicy food), and Arizona (now hates jumping chollas, but pines for sherbet sunsets). Her love of pre-Hispanic culture, big cities, and romance inspires her to write when she’s not busy with kids, work, and life…or getting sucked into a juicy novel. She hopes that someday, leather pants for men will make a big comeback and that her writing might make you laugh when you need it most.

Website: http://www.mimijean.net
iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/artist/mimi-jean-pamfiloff/id498303364?mt=11
Twitter: https://twitter.com/#!/MimiJeanRomance
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mimi-Jean/218935048190356
Email: mimi@mimijean.net a Rafflecopter giveaway

Fuse by Julianna Baggott Cover! AND a Giveaway at Incandescent Enchantments

So, after my not-so-recent squeals about Pure, I was more than excited when I saw that its sequel, Fuse, now has a cover :) The summary is below as well, if you haven't read Pure then you should probably avoid it because it does contain spoilers.

After a young Wretch is abducted by the Dome and "cleansed" of her fusings and imperfections, she is only able to repeat the Dome's latest message: "We want our son returned. This girl is proof that we can save you all. If you ignore our plea, we will kill our hostages one at a time." Willux will go to any lengths to get his son Partridge back, including murder.

Partridge sacrifices himself and returns, in the hope of taking over the Dome from within, only to uncover more of his father's chilling, dark secrets. Outside the Dome, Pressia, Bradwell, and El Capitan are decoding the secrets from the past—tucked away in one of the Black Boxes—to uncover the truth that might set the wretches free of their fusings forever.

Those fighting Willux will be pushed over boundaries, both land and sea, heart and mind, in their quest—further than they ever imagined.

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Oh it's so awesome! What do you think? You likey?

Also a quick message: There's a great giveaway going on at Incandescent Enchantments, just click on the blog name to go straight to the giveaway. The only requirement is that you're a follower and you get to choose from 8 great books. (including Juliet Immortal, Blue Bloods series and Cinder) One more thing. It's INTERNATIONAL!!! YAY!

If you're looking for more giveaways, just scroll down the page and there's a new section called "Awesome Giveaways" (original, I know) on my side bar.

Kindle Freebie! Moon Spell by Samantha Young

Ok, now this is just getting depressing. All my posts have been for Kindle Freebies... it just goes to show how school is ruining my reading life.... I have not read a book for 2 weeks. TWO! excluding Macbeth which is for... yep.. you guessed it. SCHOOL.

Now, I will still update with freebies and other juicy tidbits but my reviews will now become an endangered species.... but I will... i MUST post a review soon... I'll do it just to rebel against school and it's ickiness. So. This one is Moon Spell, which is the first book in the Tale of Lunamorte series by Samantha Young, who I had another freebie posted for several weeks back, Smokeless Fire, though that one's back to its original price now...

Enter a world of fierce wolves, stunning magic and romance...
It’s bad enough feeling different among the human crowd, but feeling different among wolves?

No one said returning to her pack would be easy, especially after ten years without them, but seventeen year old Caia Ribeiro is unprepared for the realities of the transition. Raised in a world where kids aren’t scared by bedtime tales of the bogeyman but by the real life threat of enemy supernaturals who might come creeping into their community to kill them in their sleep, Caia is used to the darkness; she’s used to the mystery and the intrigue of the ancient underworld war she’s bound to by chance of birth. What she’s having trouble with are pack members treating her with wary suspicion, the Elders tucking secrets behind their backs out of her sightline, and her young Alpha, Lucien, distracting her, with a dangerous attraction, from her decision to uncover the truth.

But as the saying goes ‘the truth will out’ and when it does, Caia will only have so long to prepare herself before the war comes pounding on their door threatening to destroy the safe, secret lives of the wolves… and the girl they protect.

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you can get this here!! Yay.

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In other news... I have won several books in the past week or so :) SQUEEE!!!! This I choose to take as a SIGN that the reading world wants me back! I normally never win anything... maybe once every two years... maybe... so this is all very sudden :)
thank you to Disincentive from Disincentive Reviews (Read, watch, listen)
for organising an awesome giveaway of The Space Between.
Also, to Lisa from Read me, bookmark me, love me, as well as Harper Collins Australia for organising the giveaway of The Industry.
Finally, to Jane from Juliet's Book Shoppe for her giveaway of a pdf of The Girl in the Steel Corset.

Kindle Freebie! Chameleon by Cidney Swanson

Why hello there, another freebie already?
Well yes! Normally, I don't want my posts to just be of freebies (though they are pretty cool eh?) But this one is just too good to pass up. I assume that many of your would have downloaded Rippler when it was free? If not, stick around because it'll probably be free again (they tend to go in a cycle) and I'll let you know. And I'd recommend grabbing this anyway, you can always delete it :)
So here's your chance to grab the second book while it's available. It's extremely extremely likely that it won't be free for long so clicky click click!

Sixteen-year-old Samantha Ruiz has a lot on her mind. The crush who kissed her but changed his mind. The BFF who thinks Sam is in an abusive relationship. The geneticist who wanted Sam dead but now wants her ALIVE. And of course, Sam’s still dealing with a tendency to disappear into thin air.

When Sam learns of her nemesis Helmann’s Nazi-like plan to establish a Thousand-Year Reign, she’s determined to fight him. Along with Will and Mickie, Sam flees to France to meet Sir Walter—their best hope for stopping Helmann’s brave new world.

But Sam isn’t any safer in France. Someone is following her. Someone invisible. Sam will have to figure out how to hide from an enemy she can’t even see

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I apologize if there's anything wrong with the blurb, I tried not to read it because I haven't read the first book, and I don't want it spoiled :)
Clicky click here! Til next time... mwahahahaha. I enjoy clogging up your phone/ reading app with books. I really do :)

Kindle Freebie! Dirty Blood by Heather Hildenbrand

Hello all,
I bring yet another freebie for you all. **yay** This one sounds brilliant! I love the blurb/ description, it really, really pulls you in. And, as per my usual routine, it is called Dirty Blood (intriguing title, oui?) and it's about wolves :) happy face.

I killed a girl last night. I did it with my bare hands and an old piece of pipe I found lying next to the dumpster. But that’s not the part that got me. The part that scared me, the part I can’t seem to wrap my head around and still has me reeling, was that when she charged me, her body shifted – and then she was a wolf. All snapping teeth and extended claws. But by the time I stood over her lifeless body, she was a girl again. That’s about the time I went into shock… And that was the moment he showed up.

Now, all I can do is accept the truths that are staring me in the face. One, Werewolves do exist. And two, I was born to kill them.

You want it eh? I told you sounded good!
click here!!!

I think we can all find the free reading apps, if not just refer to one my older posts.

Kindle Freebie! Farsighted by Emlyn Chand

Hello all! it's been a while since our last Freebie eh? Blogger has a new layout and I am (as always) very much confused... But all is good for I have mastered the art of finding the upload button :) And so, today's Freebie is Farsighted, I have no idea why I insist on announcing the name when the title states it very clearly with big curly font... but meh. Such is me.

Alex Kosmitoras's life has never been easy. The only other student who will talk to him is the school bully, his parents are dead broke and insanely overprotective, and to complicate matters even more, he's blind. Just when he thinks he'll never have a shot at a normal life, an enticing new girl comes to their small Midwest town all the way from India. Simmi is smart, nice, and actually wants to be friends with Alex. Plus she smells like an Almond Joy bar. Sophomore year might not be so bad after all. Unfortunately, Alex is in store for another new arrival—an unexpected and often embarrassing ability to "see" the future. Try as he may, Alex is unable to ignore his visions, especially when they suggest Simmi is in mortal danger. With the help of the mysterious psychic next door and friends who come bearing gifts of their own, Alex embarks on his journey to change the future.

 So if you think it's interesting, click here to download.
ALSO. A quick and possibly important (look, i bolded it to get your attention) notice that The Mind Readers by Lori Brighton is once again free, so for those of you who missed it last time, here's your chance. And the link is on my other post, which you can find here.

oh. and if you still desperately need the reading apps, they're here

Socialpunk by Monica Leonelle

Blurb:
Ima would give anything to escape The Dome and learn what’s beyond its barriers, but the Chicago government has kept all its citizens on lockdown ever since the Scorched Years left most of the world a desert wasteland. When a mysterious group of hooded figures enters the city unexpectedly, Ima uncovers a plot to destroy The Dome and is given the choice between escaping to a new, dangerous city or staying behind and fighting a battle she can never win.

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I actually received this as an ebook from the author for a blog tour thing. I'm going to keep this review short-ish. Socialpunk is a very quick and interesting read. Having read a book with domes earlier (Pure by Julianna Baggot) I was quite excited to try another and was pleasantly surprised. Socialpunk doesn't really centre on the idea of the Dome, rather it uses the idea to develop others, if that makes sense. You find out that things aren't at all what they seem and that there are hidden experiments and secret operations everywhere.

The characters of the books were all very different, and mysterious, too mysterious. You don't really know anything about them, you read about them of course. You just don’t know them that well but I think that was because the book was so short. Ima, the protagonist of the book is very shy and, what I first thought, a bit of a pushover. What I like is that she goes on to become stronger, more leader-like and brave.

I think that Vaughn's supposed to be the other semi-main character but again he's just so mysterious. He just happens to appear in Ima's life and shake things up. I would have liked some more background on him and the other characters, especially Nahum who I first thought would play a larger role but again, I don't know anything about him. I know I'm repeating myself so just ignore me :)

Hmm… I really enjoyed the prologue which set a very mysterious mood and really had me eager to start the book. I thought the starting of the book was very different and again I felt like I'd just flipped to the middle of a book without any idea what was going on, things were explained as I progressed but not nearly enough to have me satisfied. The storyline was very original, excluding the occasional cliché, but again a bit rushed, I think things would have been a tad better if the book was longer, there would have been a lot more space to build up the suspense.

I had a bit of a problem with the ending though. It was different yes, and I'm not sure what it was meant to be, a cliff hanger of a sort? Still, I didn't like it. It was abrupt without any sort of lead up, it kind of just popped up just when things were starting to get interesting and left me sitting there gaping:
"Wha?! Where is the next page?" trust me, I swiped at my ipod several times to see the next page but to no avail…

Socialpunk was a very interesting blend of the dystopian genre with a touch of science and tech. It made an overall very exciting read, especially with the original way Monica Leonelle created the world, I'll definitely have to take a look at Socialmob when it's released.

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About the Author:

Monica Leonelle is a well-known digital media strategist and the author of three novels. She blogs at Prose on Fire (http://proseonfire.com) and shares her writing and social media knowledge with other bloggers and authors through her Free Writer Toolkit (http://proseonfire.com/free-writer-toolkit).

Interview with the author:
Now we have an quick interview with Monica Leonelle :)

1. When you wrote Socialpunk, did you have a specific character that you felt you could relate to?
I would have to say Ima, as she's the main character and the book is told entirely from her point of view. What I love about her is how much she changes from the beginning of the book to the end. She feels very guilty and is constantly struggling with right vs. wrong. She's probably one of my favorite characters out of all the ones I've written.

2. What inspired you to write Socialpunk
Socialpunk is a bit like The Truman Show meets The Terminator, except Mark Zuckerburg is president of the world. I wanted to do a cyberpunk and Socialpunk is classically cyberpunk, down to its roots. I loved the idea of being trapped in a virtual reality, and then acclimating to the real world.

3. What is your favourite dessert/ food?
I have an affinity for anything with brownies or apple pie in it. Tiramisu is also a fav.

4. Because the blog is called Far Past Midnight, have you ever read a book so good that you stayed up until the wee hours of dawn to finish it?
The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, the Twilight series, the Mortal Instruments... yeah, if I find a good book I really have trouble putting it down.

5. Finally, if you could become part of any book for a day, which book would you choose and what character would you be?
Without question, the Harry Potter world. It's so brilliant! I also love the shadowhunters world from Cassandra Clare. I know I keep mentioning the same books over and over again... I guess everyone knows my favorites now!

Thank you for the interview!

Now you're probably thinking "Where can I get this?" look no further! the links are below ;) if you want to have a little taste of the book, an excerpt is below.

Where to buy:
Amazon: http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkA
Barnes and Noble: http://monicaleonelle.com/SocialpunkB

***Excerpt***
After playing God for six years with the world he created, he couldn’t control any of his subjects, none at all. Over the years, he had watched them evolve and become the sum of their own choices rather than the sum of his; and for that, he regretted ever giving them life.
A small, blinking red light from just inside his eyelid reminded him of the news they sent him earlier that morning. The company had cancelled his funding and would shut down his project within three months. According to them, the project cost too much and took up too much space, and the inconclusive results couldn’t be published reputably, now or in the future.
Six years of his work, tens of thousands of lives at stake—and he could do nothing to save any of it. He bowed his head, letting his chin rest on the rim of his breakfast smoothie. The smoothie reeked of powder—crushed pills—but he supposed he had better get used to it. He wouldn’t be able to afford the luxury of real food after they canned him.
He closed his eyes and called up the camera view of one of his favorites, number 3281. She fascinated him; he couldn’t deny it. When he had designed her, her pre-teen rebelliousness lit fire in her eyes. A survivor, he’d thought. He’d meant for her to have it all—to grow up, to get married to the love of her life, and to have a beautiful family of her own someday.
But he had only given her sadness so far. Instead of creating a strict father, he had given her an abusive one. Instead of creating a loving boyfriend, he had given her a friend who could never love her. And instead of creating a strong, proud mother, he had given her a meek one, who watched the whole thing unfold and did nothing about it.
He looked at his last and final creation sitting in the chair across from him—his own son, not awakened yet. The law forbade him to have any children of his own, so this boy would substitute.
But he had done the unthinkable with this creation—he had bestowed on it his own thoughts, emotions, and decision-making processes. He’d given the boy his own mind, his own physical characteristics, his own wants and desires.
He had never done so with any of the others because of the dangers of investing too heavily in any one of his subjects. But who could he kid? He had not stayed objective thus far, watching some of his subjects more closely than others, wishing for the happiness of some at the expense of others. He had become an abomination, a monster of his own doing, who had created subjects only to watch them suffer.
He couldn’t forgive himself; not now, not ever. His eyes lingered on the vial that sat next to his breakfast smoothie, that he’d stowed away for the day when they destroyed all his work, his entire world. He would save it, tuck it away for now, for as long as he could protect them. When things spun out of his control, he would drink it and end himself the way he had ended them.
In the ancient stories, gods frequently gave their sons as gifts. Now, he would give his son as a gift to her, number 3281. So she could be happy in her last months on earth, before they destroyed her with the rest of them.

Now here's something exciting, Monica Leonelle is holding a giveaway which you can enter by using the Rafflecopter below. Bon chance!


a Rafflecopter giveaway

Sherlock Update and the Hunger Games

Continuing on with my Sherlock obsession...
Again, not directly book related but we can stretch it and use our imagination and all that.
I've just stumbled upon a very, very awesome picture. And so I ask you: what can you see?

Isn't it awesome? And it was on a limited edition t-shirt! I'm so sad because I discovered it late... Do you think you can order a t-shirt with this design? admit it... you want one :P

Also, I finally watched the Hunger Games yesterday... I really quite liked it, yes they cut stuff out and all that, but they kind of had to if they wanted to fit it in the time frame. I wasn't happy with the mutts or the cornucopia but hey, what can you do?
What else shall I say?
Oh- Katniss is a poo... lying to Peeta and acting Oh so in love. But hey, we already know that from the book.
Gale was hilarious! The majority of the shots of him in the film were of him being very gloomy and depressed looking :D so, so funny. I swear I laughed every time his face came on.
What did you think?

Ro.

The new BBC series: Sherlock

Ack! I just finished season 2 of the new BBC Sherlock series. I'm crying and laughing and dancing all at the same time.
It was amazing, it was brilliant, it was byooooooootiful! Now i know this isn't really book related, unless you count how the series is based on books, but I just have to share my love for it.
I LOOOOOVVVEEE it. Ok. I'll admit, I first laughed at my darling friends and their obsession... but I've been converted. I have seen the light!
It's so funny, so smart, so superfantastically awesome.

Here's the little storyline thingy:
Sherlock Holmes was always a modern man. It’s the world that got old. Now he’s back as he should be: edgy, contemporary, difficult – and dangerous – in three new dramas on BBC One. Watson, a doctor, soldier and war hero, is fresh from military service in Afghanistan. A chance encounter brings him into the world of Sherlock Holmes, a loner, detective and genius. The two men couldn’t be more different, but Sherlock’s inspired leaps of intellect, coupled with John’s pragmatism, soon forge an unbreakable alliance. A woman in pink lies dead in a derelict house, the fourth in a series of impossible suicides. DI Lestrade is the best Scotland Yard has got, but even he knows he can’t compare to the young man who can tell a software designer by his tie or an airline pilot by his thumb. Sherlock has a unique analytical mind, earning his living and staving off boredom by solving crimes. The weirder and more baffling the better… Across three thrilling, scary, action-packed and hugely entertaining episodes, Sherlock and John navigate a maze of cryptic clues and lethal killers to get at the truth.
(summary taken from http://www.1channel.ch/watch-356379-Sherlock)

Have I mentioned how awesome the series is?
Oh I have, have I?
Well clearly not enough if you're still reading this and not scrambling off to find the first episode!

Ro.

Spellcaster by Cara Lyn Shultz

Blurb:
Finding your eternal soulmate - easy.

Stopping a true-love-hungry evil - not so much…

After breaking a centuries-old romantic curse, Emma Connor is (almost) glad to get back to normal problems. Although...it's not easy dealing with the jealous cliques and gossip that rule her exclusive Upper East Side prep, even for a sixteen-year-old newbie witch. Having the most-wanted boy in school as her eternal soul mate sure helps ease the pain-especially since wealthy, rocker-hot Brendan Salinger is very good at staying irresistibly close....

But something dark and hungry is using Emma and Brendan's deepest fears to reveal damaging secrets and destroy their trust in each other. And Emma's crash course in über-spells may not be enough to keep them safe…or to stop an inhuman force bent on making their unsuspected power its own.

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Thank you to Netgalley and Harlequin Teen for allowing me to read this.
I found Spellcaster very enjoyable, it follows on a couple months after the horrific incident that occurred in the previous book, we all thought that Emma and Brendan could spend the rest of eternity together la-di-da. Alas, it was not be so and evil has once again resurfaced to tear the two lovebirds apart.
I feel I should be wearing a billowing dress and have a hand on my forehead :)

And so, moving onto the characters. Emma, who in the last book foolishly walked into a trap, you can read more of that on my quick review on goodreads, has now grown a backbone. Yay! I do so love it when characters blossom and grow :)
Spellcaster has the roles reversed a little, instead of Brendan taking all the risks, it's Emma, with her not-so-reliable magical prowess. And that adds more spice to the book, I think, things get more interesting and more risky. She stands up for herself more, albeit with some magical help, but the intention was there.

Brendan is still his uber awesome self, and I'm not going to waste time talking about him, though he is a tad possessive, but not too much. We also see a sweeter side to him, a more caring and gentle side, and he shares all his fears and hopes in this book… :) how cheesy do I sound? Hehehe

Now… when a book is centred on true love, there is always, always the option of separating the two characters and making them write depressing poetry about life, maybe some dramatic plays too. Well.
THANK THE WRITING WORLD THAT THERE IS AT LEAST ONE AUTHOR OUT THERE WHO DOESN'T SPLIT UP THE CHARACTERS FOR THEIR OWN "SAFETY". I was over the moon. The number of times couples have been split and forced to stare into each others eyes from across the room is astounding, and completely and utterly annoying.

"I'll love you forever Gertrude but's it's just too dangerous… you'll have to stay away from me"
"No Phyllis!! I couldn't, please don't make me do this"
"No Gertrude…. It's the only way"

Yes. That is a scene that we have grown so, so familiar with (I made that up randomly by the way) and to tell you the truth… doesn't it seem Twilight-ish?

“I promise that this will be the last time you’ll see me. I won’t come back. I won’t put you through anything like this again. You can go on with your life without any more interference from me. It will be as if I’d never existed.”
hahahahaha

But seriously, when a book does that, it completely turns me off and there are very, very few authors who can pull off a scene like that, and still I'm doubtful. To be honest, there were time when I doubted Cara Lyn Shultz, there were times when I thought she was going to go down that road but NO! She stayed strong! She resisted the urge and for that I am grateful. I'm rambling aren't I?

Ahem--The story is quite original, the plot is a mixture of yeah-i-knew-that-was-going-to-happen and GAH!-why-did-that-just-happen. The writing is easy to read and understand. It gets the point across and conveys the desired message so all is good.

You often get books with the idea of true love, soul mates, yeah you can roll your eyes, but Spellcaster is built on so much more. There's magic and curses and ghosts and all these things add up to an original and story that's a quick and exciting read. Give it a go, you'll be surprised.

Kindle Freebie! Bloody Little Secrets by Karly Kirkpatrick

Yep, you guessed it. it's time for another Kindle Freebie! woohoo!
And so, it sounds interesting and all that. Remember to grab it while it's free. It's about vampires and while I personally don't have anything against vampires, I know there may be people out there who don't like reading about them. well have fun... I feel like I should have fine prints saying "enjoy responsibly" or something :)

17-year-old Vicky Hernandez has a big problem. She's dead. Or not quite. After discovering she's been turned into a vampire, she tries to settle into a quiet suburb of Chicago and return to a normal life.
If only she could stop wanting to bite her boyfriend. Not to mention she is dying to find out who turned her, and why. She doesn't have to wait long before they come to her.

Isn't that a short and sweet blurb?
Clicky click hereto download
and here for the reading apps

Kindle Freebie! Revelations by Genevieve Pearson

Ok, I just want to say that the cover for this one is so awesome. I love it. It's fitting and awesomely awesome. you know. I mean, just LOOK at it. **Drools**
Yep. This one sounds really interesting, I've never read a book about the 4 Horsemen of the Apocalypse before, yes, I heard about books about them. But never actually read them... I'll be sure to post a review when I read this (in the very distant future).

When four seemingly über-cool college kids arrive in a small West Texas town, only one girl recognizes them for who they really are—the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Nineteen years old, a greeter at the local Smiley’s Supercenter, Kyrie’s been blessed with an uncommonly good intuition…and a few other abilities she’s been keeping secret.

Those abilities aren't enough to deal with the Horsemen, though, who bring with them a magnitude of evil Kyrie’s never seen before. Adding to the complications, her best friend has gone missing and Nate, her gorgeous but chronically deceptive ex-flame falls back in to her life, wanting to rekindle their old relationship. That can’t be a coincidence, can it? Then there’s Aaron, the oldest child in a family considered overly-religious even by Texas standards, who’s determined to help her whether she wants it or not. With boys, it seems, it’s either feast or famine. And of course they only want you when the world’s about to end.

As plagues descend on the tiny town, Kyrie finds herself facing down Death, Pestilence, Famine and War in a fight for the lives of everyone around her. But with myth becoming reality and discoveries are made that shake her to her core, she begins to waver in her conviction of right and wrong. Temptation waits in the dark of stormy Texas nights, and if Kyrie can’t find the will to fight any longer, the end of days are only just beginning

This may only be available for a short time, so grab it here.

Kindle Freebie! Somber Island by T. Lynne Tolles

woo-hoo! ANOTHER Kindle Freebie. Well, if you stick with me guys, your Kindle (or anything else that you read on) is going to be completely filled up with books :)
This one sounds really, really good. And the gorgeous cover doesn't hurt ;P
though there seems to be a very very extreme craze of books with girls in pretty dresses posing on the cover. meh.

Phoebe MacIntire, who is a servant to her father and sisters in her own house in Scotland in 1855, is an ordinary girl, with no big dreams for the future. She's perfectly happy in her humble life, with her cot in the basement and her little garden in the backyard. But when her father up and sends her to Newfoundland to be the lifelong servant to Lord Jacobs, she finds her life gets turned upside down.

Her journey across the Atlantic to her new home is long, scary and very unpleasant. When she arrives at the manor on a small island, she finds the beautiful place abandoned and only a note waits for her explaining her duties, the strange dietary requirements, and sleeping habits of her new master.

The very first night in her new home she's haunted in her dreams by a woman who clearly does not want her there and a strange blue-eyed man-wolf creature that follows the woman. Her dreams become more and more violent and mysteries start to be uncovered about a woman who was killed in a fire on the island, a creature that preys on anyone that comes to the island and a love story gone wrong that dates back over a hundred and twenty two years.

Yes, I know. you want the link... here
Do i still need to put the free reading apps link? oh well, here just in case.

Kindle Freebie! Rippler by Cidney Swanson

Imma so so tired... Yes this one sounds good, all very pretty. yeah it's free. I don't think there is anything else to say. wait... HOLIDAYS IN T minus 2 days. YES!!! The unfortunate thing is that I have just as much work to do... more actually.. **sigh** I will never be able to read again.

Samantha Ruiz has a freak gene that makes her turn invisible, or ripple. She can’t control it, and it’s getting worse. Afraid of becoming a lab-rat, Sam keeps her ability secret, until fellow runner Will Baker sees her vanish into thin air. Will promises secrecy and help, and Sam begins to fall in love.

Together, the two discover there are worse things than being a scientific curiosity. Someone’s been killing people who possess Sam's gene. A mysterious man from France sends letters that offer hope for safety, but also reveal a sinister connection with Nazi experiments.

The more time Sam spends with Will, the less she can imagine life without him. When Sam uncovers secrets from her past, she must choose between keeping Will in her life or keeping Will safe.(less)

here to download the title
here to download the reading apps
oops. I lied. You'll have to click here instead :)

Croak by Gina Damico

Blurb:
Sixteen-year-old Lex Bartleby has sucker-punched her last classmate. Fed up with her punkish, wild behavior, her parents ship her off to upstate New York to live with her Uncle Mort for the summer, hoping that a few months of dirty farm work will whip her back into shape. But Uncle Mort’s true occupation is much dirtier than that of shoveling manure.

He’s a Grim Reaper. And he’s going to teach her the family business.

Lex quickly assimilates into the peculiar world of Croak, a town populated entirely by reapers who deliver souls from this life to the next. Along with her infuriating yet intriguing partner Driggs and a rockstar crew of fellow Grim apprentices, Lex is soon zapping her Targets like a natural born Killer.

Yet her innate ability morphs into an unchecked desire for justice—or is it vengeance?—whenever she’s forced to Kill a murder victim, craving to stop the attackers before they can strike again. So when people start to die—that is, people who aren’t supposed to be dying, people who have committed grievous crimes against the innocent—Lex’s curiosity is piqued. Her obsession grows as the bodies pile up, and a troubling question begins to swirl through her mind: if she succeeds in tracking down the murderer, will she stop the carnage—or will she ditch Croak and join in?

------------o_O-----------

Croak was a very quick, easy, fun read. It had many memorable laugh out loud moments all starring the star of our book, Lex Bartleby.
So, I guess I'll just go straight into the characters. Well the most obvious is Lex, whose full name is Lexington. Ha! Bet you didn't guess that! Anyway, I think the shortened version really suits her, it's short (no way!) and it's the perfect combination of vowels and consonants that give the name an overall strong and rebellious feel to it. Awesome. Lex is a very strong and entertaining character whose snarky remarks and quick temper will never cease to amuse me. She first comes off as a very violent character, though her violent instincts are soon explained to be the cause of her "Killer" hormones or whatnot. I don't think that's what they call it in the book, but that's just the image I got in my head :)

I suppose I should explain what a Killer is, well in the Reaper world there are two types: The Killers who have to touch the dead person to release the soul from the body, and the Cullers who then guide the soul into a vessel. They always work in pairs. Anyway, back to Lex. She's lived a perfectly good life under the loving care of her parents and her twin sister Cordy, and then she just suddenly becomes violent. Go back to the Killer hormones section. Her parents can no longer take her outrageous behaviour-- yeah yeah, been there, heard that-- but do you realise that her parents used rope restraints on her? Yes, that's right, my eyes just popped out. Now, I may not live in America… But I'm pretty sure that's illegal, or at least highly frowned upon by society (quote Willy Wonka for the last part :D) I'm just quite surprised that her parents would go that far… are you allowed to do that?? well…. Moving on. She gets sent to Uncle Mort.

Wow. What a name… Mort. Is that not the french word for 'dead', or something like that? And I'm sure it means the same thing in other languages as well. It's clever… until you realise someone (even if they are fictitious) pretty much named their child death? Holy Moly Ravioli! How morbid… anyhoo, Mort seems like a very awesome crazy uncle, a real role model :)

Now, do you remember when I said Reapers always work in pairs? Well, enter Driggs. **whistles**. Lex sees him, Lex is attracted to him, and within the space of 24 hours, she punches him in the eye. Score.
Their relationship though not necessarily realistic in the way they almost immediately feel an attraction and all that, was an interesting and undoubted entertaining one. The quick and witty comments they made were enough to have me burst out laughing. It was all very sweet. Now, I never pegged Lex to be a jealous kind of girl, and I really don't like it when characters get all possessive of someone they don't even know and then tell themselves it's nothing. It's seriously annoying. But then again… THAT compared with what Driggs had up his sleeve seems tame in comparison. I guess you're all thinking: "oh la la! What could this mysterious thing possibly be?" or maybe not :) But you'll have to read it to find out :P

The idea of the book has been one that hundreds of authors have explored, but I like how Gina Damico puts her own spin on things. It was a different read, and I very much enjoyed it. The plot is slightly predictable at moments and a sometimes drags a tad but all is well because things do move along, and there are always funny scenarios to encourage you along the way.

Go get yourself a copy! I haven't got an actual rating system yet… but I'm working on it. For now I'll just stick to good ol' stars.
3.75/5 stars :)
Yes, every point counts.
Round it up to 4.

Iron Fey BOOK 5!!!

YES! YESSS!!
Have you heard? All you fellow Iron Fey lovers can now rejoice because Julie Kagawa is going to be releasing a FIFTH book to the series!
Only this time it'll be from Ethan's point of view!
This is what Julie said on her blog.

"Is there a fifth book in The Iron Fey series? Will the Iron Fey story continue?
Yes! In the fall of 2012, there will be a new Iron Fey series starring Ethan Chase, Meghan's younger brother, when he is a teenager. I can't give away too many details yet, but there is sure to be lots of familiar faces popping for cameos."

Squee! Me wants...

Overprotected by Jennifer Laurens

I've heard loads of stuff about this one... not going to say what... you'll have to read it yourself, oh it's apparently aimed at the teens or tweens so.. yeah... up to you. Though I have to say the guy on the cover looks very funny, weird, protective... **cough cough** :), I'm gonna have his face in my head when I read the book... hehehe... I know, I know. That's mean...
Any who, I just HAVE to put this out there, if you get this on Kindle right now you're saving $13.99. (that's the paperback price, it's $4.99 digital price)! I could buy 10 other kindle books using that money... I'm such a cheapskate. :)

I'm not sure if this is the actual blurb or not, I've been having trouble trying to find one... oh wells

Ashlyn:A lonely society princess living in NewYork City.
Daddy hired you to be my bodyguard.

Colin: Childhood enemy, now her protector.

Daddy thought I’d be safe. He thought I’d never fall in love. He thought he could keep me forever.

Charles: obsessed with keeping her safe, keeping her his, he hires the one person he knows she could never fall in love with: Colin.

Daddy was wrong.

A kidnapping leaves a father fanatical about his only child's safety. A story of obsessive love and the quest for independence.

Here! to download.
Here! for reading apps

Kindle Freebie! Forbidden Mind by Kimberly Kinrade

Today's freebie is Forbidden Mind, and guess what? This one caught my attention because of it's blurb! (see? I'm not that shallow) though I'll admit that I did click on the cover because it looked interesting, but it was the blurb that convinced me. honest :)

She reads minds.
He controls minds.
Together, they might get out alive.

Sam thinks she's months away from freedom. After spending her life in a secret school, rented out to the rich and powerful as a paranormal spy, she is ready to head to college like any normal eighteen-year-old.

Only Sam isn't normal. She reads minds. And just before her big going-away party, she links to the mind of a young man who changes everything.

Drake wasn't raised as a 'Rent-A-Kid.' He was kidnapped and taken there by force. But his exceptional physical strength and powers of mind control make him very dangerous, especially to Sam.

When they meet, Sam is forced to face the truth of her situation, and to acknowledge that not all is as it seems in her picture-perfect world. For what awaits her on her eighteenth birthday isn't a trip to college, but an unexpected nightmare from which she may not be able to escape.

To survive, they must work together.

But will their powers be enough to save them before it's too late?

Here to download
here for apps.
coolioes and happy reading everyone.

Kindle Freebie! Poke by Dalya Moon

This one caught my attention through it's lovely cover design (hehe don't they always). So, Poke... The summary sounds like a short, fun read. Oh... there was a warning at the bottom of the summary that it's recommended for "older teens to adults (some mature content)" o_O
weeeeellllll... I haven't read it, so if you decide to take the risk, don't blame me if you read something that can never be unread :)

Zan is a teenage boy with a talent for discovering any girl’s secrets. If he asks a girl to poke her finger into his navel, he gets a psychic trip to Secret Town. Zan never likes what he finds.

When he meets mysterious, beautiful Austin, with her waist-length hair and mature laugh, he wants to get acquainted with her the slow way. Austin, however, can’t resist her curiosity, and when she pokes her finger into Zan’s belly button, he sees … nothing.

Austin dashes out of Zan’s house and out of his life, leaving Zan heartbroken and confused. To find peace, he must unravel the secret of his power. Is it a gift, or a curse? How can Zan love someone with no future? How can he not?

Poke is a fast-paced story about Zan's adventurous summer, as he battles witches, experiments with astral projection, and discovers the secret of his strange power, all to be with the girl he loves.

coolioes. here to download. again, if you're not "mature" (whatever that means :P) please don't decide to download this. I don't want to be responsible for scarring you for life.
And here for the reading apps... it's alright this link is completely all-age appropriate :)

Grave Mercy by Robin LaFevers

Book Blurb:
Why be the sheep, when you can be the wolf?

Seventeen-year-old Ismae escapes from the brutality of an arranged marriage into the sanctuary of the convent of St. Mortain, where the sisters still serve the gods of old. Here she learns that the god of Death Himself has blessed her with dangerous gifts—and a violent destiny. If she chooses to stay at the convent, she will be trained as an assassin and serve as a handmaiden to Death. To claim her new life, she must destroy the lives of others.

Ismae's most important assignment takes her straight into the high court of Brittany—where she finds herself woefully under prepared—not only for the deadly games of intrigue and treason, but for the impossible choices she must make. For how can she deliver Death’s vengeance upon a target who, against her will, has stolen her heart?

----------o_O----------

This one was read a teeny tiny little while back so my details may be a little hazy because I have some sort of short term memory loss :)

And so. Let me just put this out there. Assasins. Nuns. ASSASSIN NUNS!
Yes, bonus points for the awesome awesome idea. If that hasn’t made you want to pick up the book, then read further :)

Let me just say that Grave Mercy is one of the most original books I’ve read in a while, it had strange but wonderful ideas: gods of Old, death’s handmaids, you get the picture. One old god in particular is Mortain, the God of Death, (see? Doesn’t THAT already have your attention?)and this is where our dearest Ismae comes in. Marked by Mortain himself, she was saved and raised in a convent to be a deadly assassin. Yes, a knife wielding, garrotte tugging, ass-kicking assassin. And guess what else she deals in… Poision. Yes that’s right. Poison. Assassins and poison are one of my favourite combinations, and you can see why I was tripping over myself to get a copy of this. Think Poison study guys. Squeee.

At the beginning of the book we find Ismae being saved from a brutal and rather disturbing situation. It’s all really quite depressing. It took me a while to realise her age because of the way it was first set out, but I caught on, (she’s 17) so it’s all good.
Ismae is a flawlessly created character, Robin LaFevers managed to capture and develop a fiery and enchanting character. She’s got the skills of an assassin and she’s good at them too. At first she kind of just blindly follows but then she begins to doubt the accuracy of the convent in choosing targets. And the reasons. Instead of just ruthlessly killing someone, she finds that she wants to save them, redeem them.

Enter Duval. And like any other love interest, he knocks her world out of balance, making her doubt everything she’s been taught, everything that she thought she knew. You may be thinking: Darn, there goes Ismae’s brain. She’s gone all smushy smushy.
But NO! She is not one of those silly silly girls who sit around waiting for the love of her life. NO I cry! Ismae’s relationship with Durval is anything but. It’s funny, it’s sweet, it’s sad, and it’s passionate. It’s all of these things and more combined to make a dazzling story of manipulation, action and the sweetest of romances. AND it’s all set in the absolutely captivating medieval times, with high courts and intrigue. What more can you ask for?

ALL of Robin LaFever’s characters are so complex, some mysterious and some open, but they are all so extensively fashioned. But fear not dear readers, for you will not be bored by tiresome details about their facial-hair or outfits, as some authors feel the need to unnecessarily discuss. In. detail. Robin LaFevers cleverly slips in little nuggets of information in between her story so that she builds the characters are you go. It’s brilliant really. The writing is very pleasant to read, as mentioned, it doesn’t flood you with details but it is detailed nonetheless.

And so let me just recap. Grave Mercy is beautifully created love story, not that cheap insta-love that so many YA authors are so fond of. It has a believable pace, there is actually time for the characters to learn to know each other, and therefore to love each other… geez I’m being all smushy. BUT. Yes there is a but, it’s not JUST a love story. There are so many others things going on within this spellbinding novel, things that will make your blood run cold, things that will make you flip pages in a mad frenzy. Trust me; Grave Mercy is a marvelous, fascinating story that will make you laugh and cry, both at the same time.

Oh. Have you seen the little banner thing I have on my side bar? Clicky clicky click for excerpts and other goodies :D
Thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me to read this.

Froi of the Exiles by Melina Marchetta

Blood sings to blood, Froi . . .
Those born last will make the first . . .
For Charyn will be barren no more.

Three years after the curse on Lumatere was lifted, Froi has found his home... Or so he believes...

Fiercely loyal to the Queen and Finnikin, Froi has been trained roughly and lovingly by the Guard sworn to protect the royal family, and has learned to control his quick temper. But when he is sent on a secretive mission to the kingdom of Charyn, nothing could have prepared him for what he finds. Here he encounters a damaged people who are not who they seem, and must unravel both the dark bonds of kinship and the mysteries of a half-mad Princess.

And in this barren and mysterious place, he will discover that there is a song sleeping in his blood, and though Froi would rather not, the time has come to listen.

---------o_O------------

It took me a week to read this, don’t get me wrong. I absolutely adored this book! 5/5 Stars, hearts, cupcakes. Whatever. But it still took me a week to read this. Why I hear you ask? The answer is simple: school. Akdhaweurhfiwjeifjwejfwhurfwiepoqpewy4rq
Grr.

So, let us not dwell on the fact that school is ruining my reading… **sigh**
And so.

Froi of the Exiles was brilliant. There was action, action, and action. We all know how much I love action. But there was also intrigue, romance and betrayal of the highest degree. I’ll admit, I’ve been putting Froi off for a while now, and that’s probably because I didn’t enjoy the first book, Finnikin of the Rock, as much (though I’m beginning to think it was because I was still a young’un when I first read it). But this one was brilliant, Brilliant I tell you!

It took me a while to warm up to the story, having read the previous book about a year or two ago. But once I got into the story, I couldn’t stop (well, I did, seeing as it took me a week to read this. I blame school. But I didn’t want to stop and that’s what matters :D).

Froi of the Exiles is split into various perspectives, and I’ll admit that at first there was only really one perspective that I really enjoyed/looked forward to (Froi’s). But then the story moves on and the smaller little plots all make sense, and I found myself enjoying ALL the perspectives. Correct me if I’m wrong, but there was Froi, Lady Beatriss, Finnikin, Isaboe, Lucian, Phaedra, was there Quintana? I can’t even remember now, grr.

The characters in this book were all so advanced and well developed; they seriously put some books to shame. You of course have the main character who is Froi, an orphan who joined the crew in the previous book and is extremely loyal to those that saved him from his horrible fate on the streets. He was raised to be an assassin, learning languages and the arts of killing. And so when he’s sent out on a mission to kill the King from Charyn, he jumps at the chance to prove his worth. But we all know that things are never that easy and there is always, always something that twists the plot. I won’t say anything else that might spoil the story. Anyway, I really enjoyed following the story through Froi’s eyes, it was riveting really. He’s always doing something, and it’s always entertaining. He’s smart as well, thank goodness for that, I don’t think I could stand having a slush-brain (I just put that word together just then) for a main character. I can’t say that Froi is one of those male characters that people go all fan-girl about and I don’t think he’s meant to be but he does have a certain pull about him. If I were go all smushy, I’d say that Froi is a very deep character with a troubled past and all that hub-bub; but I’m not. That’s up to you to decide.

Other characters that were quite interesting were Gargarin, Arjuro. I found their sarcastic comments amusing and their background story absolutely heartbreaking. There were also the other minor characters. You’ve got Lady Beatriss who suffered much during the years of Lumartere’s curse. Trevanion, her husband?(or at least love) before the curse. Finnikin, who we saw more of in the previous book, is now the Queen’s consort. And Isaboe who is now Queen :)

There are also the Monts, who are cousins of Isaboe’s. Their leader is Lucian, who I at first thought was a complete and utter… what’s the word? Ok, let’s describe it like this. If he were a girl, he would be a complete and utter cow! Does that make him a bull? Heheheh.
But then he actually grew a heart! **gasp** He actually has a heart? Yes, I know. I could hardly believe it myself :) What made me think of him as such a Bull (:D)? Well. Let’s just say the way he treated Phaedra at first was not exactly nice. But then he goes all lovey dovey. And then… *sobs* it’s just too much. And following on from that, you have Phaedra, Lucian’s wife.

Now we get to one of the most intriguing characters by far, Quintana. She’s the Charyn Princess but she is treated like anything but. Called harsh names and treated cruelly, Quintana’s one and only use in the eyes of her people, is to break the curse that has held them for years. It’s all very depressing, and quite disturbing as well. She is an extremely complicated character, one that will take you the majority of the book to attempt to figure out.

Froi of the Exiles is quite a long book at around 600 pages, but trust me, if you get into it you’ll have it finished in no time (as long as you don’t have school :D)

And so I conclude, Froi of the Exiles is an engaging book that is guaranteed to keep you up at night trying to finish it, trust me, I know from experience. Its characters will pull you into a fascinating and thrilling world created by none other by Melina Marchetta, the mastermind behind the series. Now, I know several of my friends haven’t read the books because they think “it’s Melina Marchetta, it’ll be a soppy book”, and other assorted wish-wash. But just try it, you’ll definitely be surprised.

Happy Reading,
Ro.
Many thanks to Netgalley and Candlewick Press for allowing me to read this.

Kindle Freebie! Earth by Shauna Granger

hehe.. picture :) Today's freebie is Earth, sounds interesting ya? And it's so pretty!
Yes, yes, I know. Don't judge a book by it's cover and all that hub-bub. Well, I am allowed to admire a pretty cover aren't I? :)

Shayna and her two best friends have the abilities to manipulate and control the four elements, earth, air, water and fire. While learning to hone their growing powers, they discover a new and malicious presence in their sleepy beach town. Someone is performing blood magic and threatens to expose their small magical community. So far only small animals have been slaughtered, but then the nightmares start.

Shayna suffers nightmares of being chased and sacrificed only to wake up bloodied and bruised. She thinks her magical blood is the ultimate target for the final blood rite. When an innocent girl, Tracy, is kidnapped Shayna knows it's only a ploy to draw her out; she can't let someone die because of her.

Here to download
And here for the reading apps

Cross my Heart by Sasha Gould

Ok. This was actually meant to be out on the 13th February. But I completely forgot. completely.
**headbang headbang**
So, I apologize for the extremely late review post.
Here it is:

(Isn't it pretty?)

Forcibly sent to a convent at a young age, Laura della Scala is overjoyed to finally taste freedom when she is summoned by the stranger she refers to as 'father'. But she soon realises that her freedom comes at a price, the life of her beloved older sister, Beatrice. Her father's money and status is rapidly dwindling, and out of desperation he orders that she marry her sisters fiancé, a ancient walking skeleton. With nowhere else to turn, Laura enlists the help of La Segreta, a secret society of women who deal in secrets.

But their help comes at a price and Laura soon realises that within the glamorous facade surrounding her, threads of lies, deceit and most importantly secrets are woven. Laura soon suspects that her sister's death was far from an accident, but the murderer's identity is a mystery and it may already be too late...

-----------o_O------------

Set in Venice, Cross my heart is a story of secrets, deception and romance.
Gliding gondolas, glamorous gatherings, secret societies; the way in which Sasha Gould describes and incorporates different details and ideas is beautiful. I wouldn't say that it's the most original read, (the ideas have already been explored by a multitude of writers) but it was nonetheless interesting. The writing is simple but very effective, especially in the way Sasha Gould describes things in a poetic fashion.

Fresh out of the convent, Laura is undoubtedly naive and trusting, her 6 years in a convent justify this of course, so you can't really blame her for being so completely overwhelmed by the world, and easily manipulated. She pulls through(eventually) and adapts quite well to her new life. Laura stands her ground and is loyal to her sister, striving to find her murderer.
I understand that Cross my Heart is set in a time when men practically own the women, so I really liked the idea of a secret society of women who can make things happen, it shows how women have strength, and the power to change things.

The romantic relationship between Laura and the painter, Giacomo, was lovely but a little too quick for my liking: they meet, they talk, he declares undying love.

The twist was unexpected, and it set off a series of completely shocking events which made the book unputdownable (yep, that's a new word :D). The pace of the book, which until then had ranged from slow to moderate, suddenly took off, leaving me utterly astounded.

I can't say that I didn't expect an "evil/bad" character in this book, yes there were the obvious ones e.g. the murderer, but then you've got the ones that work behind the scenes, or hide behind an innocent mask... Why is it always the nice(ish) ones that are completely psychotic?!?

Now, ****SPOILER ALERT, CONTINUE AND RISK RUINING THE ENTIRE BOOK!!****


On page 249-ish, the supposed letter from Roberto had red lights and warning signs all over it!!
"My dearest Laura,
Come this instant, and don't consult with anyone. Come alone to a barge at Saint Lucia harbor, where I will be waiting for you.
May my love bring you quickly,
Roberto"

Ahem, I shall go about this in a dignified and calm manner...
HOW CLUELESS CAN ONE BE?!? GAH!!
ppfffsssshhh ARRRRGGGGHHHHH!!!!!

I shall now write you the steps to luring someone to their death:

Step 1: Forge a letter from their true (cough) love
Step 2: Ask them to meet at the scene of their impending death
Step 3: Meet them there
Step 4: Take all the time you need to kill the fool that believed your letter

GAH!!! and the sad thing? The characters fall for it every time...
**sigh**


****THE SPOILER HAS ENDED****

Cross my Heart was a very quick, entertaining and fascinating read, and I assume there will be another book due to the nature (gah! T'was a cliffhanger!) of the ending. I'll definitely be dropping back into this captivating world again, as soon as the next book is out...

I apologize for my need for the spoiler... I just HAD to rant... I had too!

Kindle Freebie! Crossroads by Mary Ting

Ok. Because I have waaaayy too much time on my hands (or more accurately: because I am a major procrastinator) I have made a little picture thing for the Kindle Freebie posts. Yes, lots of time indeed...

I think I shall be putting the image up on my Kindle posts, because you know, that's just what people do :)

Anywho, today's freebie is Crossroads, and so:

Claudia Emerson has a good friend who shares the same first name and last name. That friend unfortunately dies in a tragic accident during homecoming dance. Claudia is distraught at the loss of her friend, but is even more disturbed by her dreams, which seem to take her to another place called Crossroads. Unknown to her, Crossroads is like a second heaven, a place between heaven and earth. It is where the souls of humans in comas or near death experiences may wander. Where, Claudia meets Michael, a nephilim, a half angel, half human, whom she often meets in her dreams. It turns out that this isn’t her first visit to Crossroads, which is an enigma for no human can ever travel there until Claudia.

Now the fallen and demons are after her, suspecting she must be special and it is up to Michael and the other nephilims to protect her. Her dream becomes a nightmare as more secrets are revealed, about who she really is, and the true identities of the people she loves most. Can Michael fight his growing feelings for Claudia and protect her as a guardian angel should?

Okey Doke. Here to download
here for the reading apps.

Heads up! I'll have a review out for Froi of the Exiles, the second book in the Lumatere Chronicles by Melina Marchetta sometime this weekend. (hopefully)

Kindle Freebie is now a regular feature. And today's Freebie: Awakening by Karice Bolton

Hello all,
I have officially decided to make my Kindle Freebie posts a regular thing, that is to say that if I find anything of great interest that is free for Kindle, I'll post about it. I'll try to get at least one up per week, if not more :)
And so, the freebie for today is Awakening.

Alone in snowy, remote Whistler village, Ana tries to build a new life since losing her parents. With a cozy condo, a sweet-faced bulldog and an evening job to leave the days free for the slopes, life slips into a great routine. If only she could shake the guilt for not remembering anything about her parents and banish the night terrors that haunt her every dream.
On a whim, Ana goes out with Athen, a guy she's just met in the Grizzly Pub... The only problem is that she feels like she already knows him.

Within 48 hours of meeting Athen and his family, Ana's world implodes. She falls for Athen quickly and before she knows it, a past life begins to resurface. As thrilling as the revelations appear at first, she fights against the chilling information that Athen is from the underworld. Soon she begins to struggle as her own supernatural gifts are slowly unveiled, and she realizes that the nightmares she's been having might be premonitions and not dreams at all.
It is up to Ana to decipher between fact and fiction before it is too late, and her new love, Athen, follows in her same fate - one that is lost between two worlds.

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click here to download
And here for the reading apps

P.S
Hunger Games Movie is released tomorrow in Australia, Very Excited!